(A mysterious death)

Burrus joined the Northamptonshire Regiment on 11^th August 1896 when he was 20 years and 9 months old.  He was 5' 5" tall, was described as having a fresh complexion with brown eyes, dark brown hair and weighed only 152Lbs (9¹/₂ stone).  His was the son of Mr C Favell of Coppingford near Huntingdon and he had previously been occupied as a groom. Burrus was posted to Aldershot and in October of 1899 he was embarked for South Africa to serve in the Boer war.   He was present at the Battles of Belmont and Modder River and his time in South Africa included the long, drawn out 'scorched earth' campaign of barbed wire, blockhouses, farm burning and concentration camps that finally brought down the guerrilla warfare of the Boers.   This was the first of the 'modern' wars where firepower, machine guns and artillery required new tactics, including camouflage, Khaki uniforms and the end of glorious and colourful cavalry charges.  Burrus remained in South Africa for just over 3 years, returning to England on the 19^th January 1903.   He remained with the regiment until discharged into the army reserve 10^th August 1908 having served for exactly 12 years.  He was awarded the Queen's South Africa medal with 4 bars for Belmont, Modder River, Orange Free State and Transvaal.  He was also awarded the King's South Africa medal as his service in South Africa had seen the death of Queen Victoria and the Coronation of her son as Edward VII.  Burrus visited the USA and is recorded as landing at Ellis Island New York on the 22^nd February 1911.  The immigration official who recorded the details may have had trouble with the unusual name as he is listed as Bwirus Favell aged 38 years who arrived on board the "Oceanic" from Southampton.  The register confirms that he had paid for his own passage and also that he had been to the US previously in 1910.  On both occasions his destination was Newhaven.  The was intending to visit was W Clark, Troop A Armoury, Orange Street, Newhaven.  The Armoury on Orange Street Newhaven was home to a Cavalry Troop, part of the Connecticut National Guard but his business there is not known.  Some postcards sent to Burrus in 1905 & 1908 and still in the possession of his family show that Burrus was working at The Stables, Byrkley Lodge, Burton on Trent and despite the title of ‘Lodge’ this was actually a grand mansion with a large stable block. Byrkley Lodge was owned by the Hamer Bass family, connected to the Bass brewing company.  Major Sir William Arthur Hamar Bass, 2^nd Baronet was born on 24 December 1879 and had also fought in the Boer War.  Burrus’s background as a groom would suit him working in the Stables.    Perhaps it was a connection from Burrus’s Boer war service that caused him to be working at Byrkley Lodge, especially as during 1905, the date of the first postcard, he was still serving in the army.  The family believes that he went to the US to work in service for a grand or titled family and there is the possibility that this could have had a connection with the Hamar Bass family.   His business at the Armoury remains a mystery, as he never returned.  Burrus died in New York where he was shot dead, supposedly in a case of mistaken identity.

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